your second paragraph was the political side and the president is protected by virtuire (no insult intended to those of us how have virtues) of his office.

as president, he can lie and be protected if he is lieing as an official act to protect us from ourselves.

as for lieing while under oath in a court of law testifying as a private citizen, he should have been thrown in jail and the key thrown away. however, being a practical person, that would have been too extreme. he should hoever, being practical, be severely punished for lieing under oath since he is an officer of the court -- an attorney. our leaders, lawyers, judges, etc, should be held to a higher standard then us slups who are not privy to all the little nuonces of the law.